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Delta plus variant COVID cases confirmed in Bay Area

By KTVU Staff
Updated  August 6, 2021 5:05pm PDT
Coronavirus in the Bay Area
KTVU FOX 2

Delta Plus Variant COVID cases confirmed in the Bay Area

KTVU's Jana Katsuyama spoke with Dr. Vanila M. Singh, former Chief Medical Officer of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about the Delta Plus variant, a sub strain from the highly infectious Delta variant.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Santa Clara and Marin counties have detected multiple cases of the delta plus variant, a first in the Bay Area. 

There are 64 known cases of the delta plus variant in Santa Clara county as of Wednesday, according to the county's department of public health. 

Marin county also announced that they confirmed two cases of this delta variant sub strain in July, according to their official COVID dashboard. 

SEE ALSO: Health officials warn of more possible COVID variants

What sets the delta plus variant apart from the highly contagious delta variant is that delta plus has acquired the spike protein mutation called K417N, which was first identified in the beta variant that originated in South Africa. 

The delta plus variant, also known as AY.1, is a sub strain of the highly infectious delta variant. 

Cases of it have previously been confirmed in South Korea, the United Kingdom, Portugal and India.

In California, there were 14,402 newly confirmed cases of COVID Thursday, according to the state's department of health. 

Demand for COVID testing grows again

While health officials continue pushing for COVID-19 vaccinations, the demand for testing is also growing. KTVU's Andre Senior reports the spread of the contagious delta variant has a lot of people worried they may have been infected regardless of their vaccination status.